Have you ever felt inadequate? Like someone is trying to push themselves up by pushing the rest of us down. The answer to that question is her, we have all felt that way at one point or another in our lives, and I you told me you hadn't, you must be the one shoving everyone around. I am writing a picture book about equality. In my picture book I use jungle animals to portray an inequivalent civilization. The tigers are the biggest animals, and they push every one around, and tell them what to do because they are bigger, stronger, and therefore better- and the other animals are helpless. I think that my picture book, even if it is (to be) made of silly pictures of tigers birds and monkeys, has something everything can relate to in a way, or give someone a reason to reflect on themselves. Picture books are truly fascinating. A child reading them only sees the story, the characters, ad the plot. But not really right? Children will have emotions and feelings toward characters and scenes. If they see someone being pushed around or bullied in a picture book they know that is wrong., and I think that's the hardest part if writing a picture book, getting the correct message across and making the reader feel the write things about your writing.
I am in the middle of reading a book called Skinny, and recently finished Thirteen Reasons Why. Thirteen Reasons Why is about a sixteen year old girl that commits suicide and leaves thirteen tapes behind, each holding her voice, telling one persons story each tape, and how they played a role in her death.I must say, equality was not one of the top themes/issues in this book. Many come before it. But if you search really hard, really dig through all the words you can find it, as usual. In Thirteen Reasons Why, the character faces bullying, rape, harassment, and of course, and unfortunately, suicide. Hannah, the main character never really was treated like an equal. She had friends but had no true friends, no one she could turn to if she was ever having problems. Everyone either treated her like someone they could use for her gossip, or because everyone said she was so slutty. Guys harassed her because she was voted "Best ass in freshman class" on a stupid list a "friend" made. Nearly anyone treated her equally, andirons you read the book now, or again it becomes very clear.
In conclusion, everyone should be treated fairly. I'm talking about race, gender, age, skin color, income, but most of all, the people you know. Some people may take something you say as a joke, the way you intended it, but in Thirteen Reasons Why all these "jokes" lead to the death of a girl. I don't think I really have to tell you what the moral of this story is.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Social justice in "I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education"
Sexism and gender inequality has been a problem since humans have existed. We still haven't figured out the solution to this problem today. In "I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education," racial inequality is a major part of life, in the Swat Valley in Pakistan, where the Taliban nearly killed Malala for saying what she believed in. She went to school, took off her headscarf, and had a father that spoke out against the Taliban. She thought they wouldn't come for a girl, but she was wrong. It's hard to stop these things from happening. I personally find it very brave of Malala and her family to believe what they believe in considering where they live, and the many people that detest those ideas and want to silence them. I admire Malala because she wants to go back to her country after being shot in the face, and wants to keep protesting, and speaking out for what she believes in.
I notice there is a lot of social injustice in the world, and just in my book, as well, more tan just one issue. I see that not much is being done to prevent or stop it. In one chapter of my book, Malala shares a story about a time she stole jewelery from a younger girl. She said that while she felt awful after, she knew that other people in her position would have kept stealing and saying that it was "no big deal" and that it was "just a small thing" until those small things became bigger and bigger things. She also says that she doesn't know how people can "live with their consciences" when they see people starving, or in poverty, or children without education because they have to work in order to survive. She says that politicians only care about money, and let everyone else do the dirty work for them, and she is right. As for the first issue, our world produces enough food to feed every single human being in the world, yet many are still hungry. Americans, on a whole throw away 90 billion pounds of food a year, or 45 million tons of food. But we don't care. Not enough action is taken to help other people that are in need, when we have ample resources at out fingertips. Not enough people stop to think.
In conclusion, there are many social justice issues stuffed into books, some harder to find than others. Especially in "I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education," she sees more things in the world than most, the good and the bad, and this makes her fight for her beliefs even more. Sexism may be the most apparent issue in this book, but if you really search, you can find many more. Malala is extremely bright, and observant, and sees what is going on around her, and doesn't ignore the problems she has to face, like many of us do.
I notice there is a lot of social injustice in the world, and just in my book, as well, more tan just one issue. I see that not much is being done to prevent or stop it. In one chapter of my book, Malala shares a story about a time she stole jewelery from a younger girl. She said that while she felt awful after, she knew that other people in her position would have kept stealing and saying that it was "no big deal" and that it was "just a small thing" until those small things became bigger and bigger things. She also says that she doesn't know how people can "live with their consciences" when they see people starving, or in poverty, or children without education because they have to work in order to survive. She says that politicians only care about money, and let everyone else do the dirty work for them, and she is right. As for the first issue, our world produces enough food to feed every single human being in the world, yet many are still hungry. Americans, on a whole throw away 90 billion pounds of food a year, or 45 million tons of food. But we don't care. Not enough action is taken to help other people that are in need, when we have ample resources at out fingertips. Not enough people stop to think.
In conclusion, there are many social justice issues stuffed into books, some harder to find than others. Especially in "I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education," she sees more things in the world than most, the good and the bad, and this makes her fight for her beliefs even more. Sexism may be the most apparent issue in this book, but if you really search, you can find many more. Malala is extremely bright, and observant, and sees what is going on around her, and doesn't ignore the problems she has to face, like many of us do.
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